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CEU Honors Alumni with Distinguished Service Awards

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By Sun Advocate

Paul A. Dupin
Paul A. Dupin was born and raised in Price. After graduating from Notre Dame in 1959 he went to Carbon College and graduated in 1961.He then attended USU and completed a bachelors degree in secondary education with a major in social studies and a minor in physical education. Shortly thereafter, he moved back to Price to begin his 38 year career in education. Paul’s career in teaching has a permanence of place, Price and Mont Harmon Jr High where he successfully educated countless individuals in English, pre-algebra, physical education, American history, civics and world geography. His success in the classroom is mirrored by his success in the athletic arena. He coached basketball for 35 years, football for 25 years and track for 38 years at the junior high.
V. Robert Kelly
V. Robert Kelly of Layton, was born in Helper where his father worked for the railroad. As early as memory serves he aspired to be a doctor, a real family doctor. Carbon College was the route to achieving that dream graduating in 1946. During his 40-year career as a general practitioner he has delivered over 4500 babies, made house calls regularly, and served as mentor for many young doctors. Along with seven other local doctors established the North Davis Hospital and Medical Center. He also had a hand in the Tanner Memorial Clinic which is a multi-specialty clinic with more than 60 doctors.
Catherine Bonomo
Catherine Bonomo was born in Salt Lake City and started her educational career in the emergency medical field as a technician for the Carbon County Ambulance. She wanted to be more than an EMT and attended CEU where she earned her associate’s of science degree in 1989. She continued her education at the University of Utah where she earned her bachelor’s degree with a major in human biology and minor in chemistry in 1992. She was accepted into the University of Utah’s medical school and earned her doctorate of medicine degree in 1996. She completed an internship in internal medicine the next year and completed her residency in emergency medicine from UCLA’s Olive View Medical Center. She has practiced medicine in hospitals in Utah and California, published an emergency medicine handbook and lectured throughout her medical tenure in both states on subjects from sickle cell emergencies to evaluation of AIDS patients in the emergency department.
Ralph H. Walters
Ralph H. Walters was born in Price where he learned his work ethics from his Dad, Ray Walters, and his mom, Ramona Walters. Ralph attended Carbon College and graduated with an associate degree in business and at age 54 completed a degree in business administration. Ralph’s 42 year career with the telephone company started at Mountain Bell in Price. He retired from Mountain Bell Telephone in 1985, as Vice President General Manager Switched Services. He had supervised over 3,000 technical employees in Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.
Miriam Smith
Miriam Smith is a native of Price who graduated from Carbon High in the bicentennial class. She graduated from CEU in 1978. Following CEU, Miriam received a Bachelor of Arts in European Studies from Brigham Young University, a Juris Doctor from the J. Reuben Clark Law School (BYU) and a Master of Arts in Communications Management from the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern California. Miriam is an assistant professor at San Francisco State University where she teaches media law, management and ethics. Miriam practiced law in Los Angeles and Utah, eventually focusing on entertainment and sports law issues.
Ralph H. Walters was born in Price where he learned his work ethics from his Dad, Ray Walters, and his mom, Ramona Walters. Ralph attended Carbon College and graduated with an associate degree in business and at age 54 completed a degree in business administration. Ralph’s 42 year career with the telephone company started at Mountain Bell in Price. He retired from Mountain Bell Telephone in 1985, as Vice President General Manager Switched Services. He had supervised over 3,000 technical employees in Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.
Roy A. Nikas
Roy A. Nikas was born in Patras, Greece, and adopted from an orphanage by Tony and Norah Nikas. He attended local schools and graduated from CEU in 1974. While Roy was at CEU he was a top trophy winner in forensics and placed at the National Debate Competition. In his sophomore year he was social activities vice president. He then attended the University of Utah where he earned a bachelors degree. After graduating from the U, he entered the family insurance business and in 1979 he and his sister, Jan, purchased Price Insurance Agency which has offices in Price and Salt Lake City. An active member of professional organizations, Roy served on the Board of Directors for the Utah Independent Insurance Agents for six years and in 1999 was named “Agent of the Year” by the Utah Insurance Association. Roy was elected to the Price City Council and served for 10 years with primary emphasis on the streets and redevelopment projects. He has served as chair of International Days, the Greek Festival and currently is serving as president of Assumption Greek Orthodox Church.
Clifford K. Madsen
Clifford K. Madsen of Tallahassee, Fla. grew up in Price in a large, gregarious family headed by a school principal and teacher. Music must have been in his blood because we know that he was playing with the Jimmy Dart Orchestra when just in the eighth grade. Clifford graduated from Carbon College in 1957 and then earned bachelor and master of arts degrees from Brigham Young University. He then moved to Florida State University where he earned a Ph.D. in 1963. Dr. Madsen has served on the faculty at FSU for more than 40 years and has long stood as one of the world’s permanent teachers and scholars in music education. Clifford Madsen is a ‘living legend’ in the field of music education.
Patsy Burdick Crawford
Patsy Burdick Crawford of Salt Lake City was on the path to success from the earliest of days. Patsy attended Carbon College graduating in 1951 and that is the only date in a long list of degrees and years of teaching that was found on her resume. Mrs. Crawford is an outstanding teacher who has devoted her career to the thousands of children who has passed through her classrooms. She has degrees from BYU, Utah State University and completed an administration endorsement at the University of Utah. Her 30 plus year career in education includes service on committees, professional organizations and includes a focus on innovative and practical applications for the classroom.
Pam Dupin-Bryant
Pam Dupin-Bryant grew up in Price and attended College of Eastern Utah from 1989 to 1991. At CEU she was a member and captain of the women’s basketball team and a member of the volleyball team. She received the Academic All-American Basketball award. She also served in student government and was ASCEU’s activities Vice-President. After graduating from CEU, Pam earned a Bachelors degree in 1993 in business administration and Masters degree in business information systems and education at USU. In 2000 she earned her Ph.D. degree in education from the University of Wyoming. Pam is currently an Assistant Professor of Business Information Systems/Extension at USU, Tooele. Her research and scholarly writings have focused on distance education. During her nine years of teaching at USU she has served the students of Tooele county and the residents of the State of Utah through her work in distance education.
Connie Platis Saccomanno
Connie Platis Saccomanno was born and raised in Price where she learned the value of hard work from the example set by her parents, John and Sylvia Platis. She attended CEU in 1968-69 and then transferred to USU where she graduated with a bachelors degree in early childhood education.Connie is the co-owner and director of The Winner School, a private preschool, extended care and day school for children ages two through sixth grade. Connie is both an educator and business entrepreneur. She developed the curriculum which supports her philosophy of education, oversees the training of the teachers, speeds through the multiple classrooms doing quality assurance checks, all the while developing new programs and plans for future growth.
Drew N. Swasey
Captain Drew N. Swasey M.D. spent his childhood on a farm in rural Duchesne County and attended schools in Altamont. In high school Drew played football and was a wrestler for four years. He was named Athlete of the Year during his senior year. After graduating from Altamont High School with academic honors, Drew was awarded a Presidential Scholarship to CEU. He earned his Associates degree from CEU in 1996. He received his Bachelors of Science degree from USU in 1998 and his Doctor of Medicine degree from Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md. in May of 2002. He completed his medical internship in General Surgery at Wright Paterson Medical Group in Dayton, Ohio. He is now training in aerospace medicine in San Antonio, Texas and will assume duties with the 34 1H Fighter Squadron at Hill Air Force Base as a flight surgeon within a few weeks.
Nannette M. Berensen Turcasso
Nannette M. Berensen Turcasso lives in Mount Pleasant, S.C. Nannette was born in Price and attended CEU from 1982-84. After graduating from CEU, she continued her education at the University of Utah where she earned her bachelor’s degree in mass communications and doctor of pharmacy. She most recently completed a post-doctorate residency program in drug information practice and preceptor in drug information practice rotation at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Md. Nannette went from being a student to an associate professor for the department of pharmacy practice at the Medical University of South Carolina. She has authored chapters in two books and wrote countless articles about the field of pharmacology. She was most recently named Outstanding Professor of the Year by the class of 2003 Doctor of Pharmacy class, as well as Preceptor of the Year, in addition to receiving the Roche Award in professional communication.
Frank Rizzuto
Frank Rizzuto (posthumous) graduated from CEU in 1965 then earned a bachelors degree from the University of Utah in 1965 followed by a Ph.D. in 1972. In 1973 he accepted a position at Pima Community College in Tucson, Ariz., where he taught electronics, chemistry and math. He helped thousands of students move on with their lives and contributed so much to education.” He was a hard teacher who demanded much from his students but each appreciated that quality as they moved through school and into the world of work. When asked to describe Frank, his brother, who accepted the award, responded with stories about a young boy who always wanted to know what made things tick. With a dissertation on molecular genetic biology and research projects which involved 600 mice injected with isotopes for photo analysis it is easy to agree that the energy was turned in positive directions.

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